Hinge construction



16, 1940. v RODEMEYER 2,187,099

KING; CONSTRUCTION I Filed Aug. 5, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HARRY' RODEMEYER A TTORNEYS Jan. 16, 1940. H. RODEMEYER 2,187,099

HINGE CONSTRUCTION v Filed Aug. 3, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HARRY RODEMEYER FIVGQII.

ATTORNEYS Jan. 16, 1940; H. RODEMEYER 2,187,099

HINGE CONSTRUCTION I Filed Aug. 3. @956 3 S heetsSheet 3 25B ZIB VENTOR HARRY DEMEYER A TTORNE Y s Patented Jan. 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Glairns.

This invention relates to hinges and also to an improved method of forming hinges.

One of the principal objects of this invention resides in the provision of a hinge having a ball and socket hinge joint capable of being expediently manufactured, assembled and installed.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a hinge of the character set forth having cooperating hinge parts formed from sheet metal by a relatively few simple operations capable of being readily and inexpensively effected.

Still another advantageous feature of this invention which contributes materially to simplify- .ing the method of manufacture resides in the provision of a hinge wherein the cooperating hinge parts are formed with identical sockets, and wherein means is provided in one of the sockets for retaining the spherical end portion of a hinge pin having the opposite end secured in the socket of the other hinge part.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a hinge of the general type set forth, wherein the spherical or ball portion carried by one of the hinge parts is removably secured inthe socket of the cooperating hinge part by means of 'a flexible retainer having a snap engagement with the socket and having a portion engageable with the ball to yieldably urge the same into bearing engagement with the socket.

In addition to the foregoing, the present invention contemplates a hinge construction wherein the flexible retainer 7 provides for removably securing the ball on one of the hinge parts in the socket on the other of the hinge parts, and wherein the retainer has a snap engagement with the ball.

The foregoing, as Well as other objects, will be made-more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

' Figure 1 is a plan view of a sheet metal blank from" which the cooperating hinge parts are formed;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the blank subsequent to the drawing operation;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the blank shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the blank subsequent to pressing the opposed sides of the walls of the blank together and after the sockets have been drawn;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the blank shown in Figure 4;

Figure dis a side elevational view of the hinge parts formed from the blank shown in Figure 5; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a completed hinge;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the hinge shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a sectional View taken on the line 9-43 of Figure 8 Figure 10 is a side elevational view partly in section of a slightly modified form of hinge construction;

Figure 11 is a cross sectional View taken on the line i i-| l of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a side elevational view partly in section of another modification;

Figure 13 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line l3l3 of Figure 12;.

Figure 14 is a side elevational view partly in section of still another embodiment of this invention; and

Figure 15 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 15-45 of Figure 14.

Referring first to the particular construction of the hinge shown in Figures 7 to 9, inclusive, it will be noted from these views that the hinge comprises essentially two cooperating sections and 2!. The section 29 is provided with a socket 22 having aserni-spherical base portion 23 and having an enlarged cylindrical lip portion 24.

The hinge part 2| is also provided with a socket 25 having a substantially semi-spherical closed end portion 26 and having a cylindrical lip portion 2?. It will be observed from Figure 9 that the socket 25 is identical to the socket 22 with the exception that the free end of the lip of the socket 25 is preferably reduced in thickness to facilitate assembly. As shown, this provides a reduced flange portion 28 which is bent laterally inwardlyand forms .an annular recess 29 in the socket 25 adjacent the entrant end thereof, and provides for locating and retaining the annular spring retainer 30 in position in the socket 25.

For pivotally securing the two hinge parts together, I providea hinge pin 3! having a cylindrical portion 32 intermediate the ends thereof of a diameter predetermined to have a pressed fit within the cylindrical lip portion 24 of the socket 22. In the present instance, the lower ,end of the hinge pin is provided with a semi-spherically shaped head 33 adapted to extend into the spherical base portion 23 of the socket, and to abut the inner surface of the latter. Upon referring to Figure 9, it will be noted that the hinge pin is reduced, as at 3 beyond the lip 24 of the'socket 22, and terminates in a spherical or ball shaped portion 35.

It may be pointed out at this time that the socket 25 on the hinge part 2| is ofiset in a lateral direction from the plane of the body portion of this hinge part in the manner designated by the reference character 35 in Figure 8. The angle of offset is such as to permit the two hinge parts to be moved relative to each other from a position in co-extensive relationship to the position shown in Figure 8, wherein the body portions of the hinge parts are adjacent each other. It will, of course, be understood that the body portions of the hinge parts are suitably apertured to permit the same to be secured to their respective supports.

In assembling the hinge parts, the part 2! is inverted and positioned in alignment with the hinge pin 3|, whereupon relative movement of the two sockets toward each other extends the ball portion 35 on the hinge pin 3| into the socket 25 on the hinge part 2!. The radius of the ball portion 35 approximates the radius of the spherical end wall 25 of the socket 25 to effect a bearing engagement between the socket and the inner semi-spherical surface of the portion 25.

It will be noted from Figure 9 that the ball portion 35 on the hinge pin 3| is yieldably urged into bearing engagement with the semi-spherical sur face of the portion 25 of the socket 25 by means of the spring retainer 36. In the present instance, the spring retainer is provided with a plurality of axially extending spring fingers 3'! surrounding the pin 3| in circumferential spaced relationship and having the free ends 38 fashioned to have a bearing engagement with the ball portion 35 on the hinge pin. As shown in Figure 9,

the extremities of the fingers 3l engage the ball portion 35 adjacent the reduced portion 34 of the pin, or in the present illustration, engage the underside of the ball portion 35. Thus, it will be apparent that as the ball is moved through the spring retainer into the socket 25, the fingers 3'! are flexed outwardly, and return toward their free position as soon as the ball engages the semi-spherical seat in the socket 25. This results in a snap engagement of the ball portion 35 in the socket 25, and the arrangement is such that the fingers are maintained in engagement with the ball under tension so as to eifect the desired bearing contact between the ball portion 35 and the semi-spherical seat in the socket 25. However, the construction of the retainer is such as to permit removing the ball portion 35 from the socket 25. This may be accomplished by forcibly relatively moving the two hinge parts in directions away from each other.

Referring now to the method of making the hinge shown in Figures 7 to 9, inclusive, attention is called to Figures 1 to 6, inclusive. The first step in this method consists in blanking out a sheet of metal of the proper gage to the general contour illustrated in Figure 1. After the blanking operation, the metal is folded and subjected to a drawing operation to assume the contour i1- lustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. Subsequent to this operation, the socket portions at the extremities of the sheet are further drawn to the contour thereof shown by the dotted lines in Figure 4, and the portions ll of the metal between the sockets are pressed together to effect the configuration clearly illustrated in Figure 5. At this time, the portions 4| between the sockets may be welded together to provide the body portions of the hinge parts with a double thickness of metal. The resulting product is then severed by a blanking operation to provide the two sections illustrated in Figure 6, and the lip 27 of the socket 25 is milled to form the reduced flange 28 previously described. The openings 42 for receiving the fastener elements to secure the hinge parts to their respective supports may be drilled either subsequent to the severing operation or prior to the latter.

Upon completion of the foregoing operations, the cylindrical portion 32 of the hinge pin 3| is pressed into the cylindrical lip 24 of the socket 22 and the flange 28 is bent laterally inwardly to retain the annular spring retainer 30 in position in the socket 25. The parts are then ready for assembly in the manner clearly described above.

It follows from the foregoing, that the hinge shown in Figures 7 to 9, inclusive, is not only of relatively simple construction, but is capable of being readily manufactured and assembled. It will also be apparent that the method of manufacture is appreciably simplified by reason of the fact that both hinge parts are substantially identical in construction. Of course, the socket 25 on the hinge part 2| must be offset laterally from the body portion to provide the clearance required for relatively swinging movement of the hinge parts, and the socket 25 must be milled to provide for securing the retainer in place. Otherwise, however, the two hinge parts are exactly the same in construction.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 10 and 11 differs primarily from the one previously described in the manner in which the ball portion on one of the hinge parts is secured in the socket on the cooperating hinge part. In detail, the ball 35 on the hinge part 2|) extends into the socket 225 on the hinge part 2| and has a bearing engagement with a semispherical liner 45 permanently secured in the socket 25 The ball is maintained in engagement with the socket by means of a two-part bearing member 46 sleeved into the socket and having a spherical surface 41 for engagement with the underside of the ball in the manner clearly shown in Figure 10. The two parts of the bearing member 46 are yieldably urged into frictional engagement with the ball by means of a spring 48 located in the mouth of the socket at the underside of the bearing 46. The spring 48 is preferably transversely split at one point to facilitate its assembly on the shank 49 of the ball portion 35. The spring 48 is compressed against the underside of the bearing member 46 by means of a two-piece washer 50 centrally apertured to receive the shank 49 of the ball portion 35*, and having diametrically opposed segmental flanges 5| for engaging correspondingly arranged segmental shoulders 52 by undercutting the socket adjacent the entrant end of the latter. The circumferential space 53 between the segmental shoulders 52 is sufiicient to permit the washer 5|] to be inserted into the socket 25 whereupon rotation of the washer throughout approximately 90 overlaps the segmental flanges 5| with the shoulders 52 in the manner clearly shown in Figure 10. As will also be observed from this latter figure, suitable projections 54 are formed on the underside of each section of the washer for engagement with correspondingly shaped indentations in the segmental portions 52 to properly position the washer and to hold the sections thereof from accidental rotation. In the present instance, each section of the washer is also provided with an opening 55 therethrough for cooperation with a suitable instrument (not shown) to permit the washer to be forcibly rotated in the event it is desired to disengage the hinge parts.

In Figures 12 and 13 of the drawings, the socket 25 on the hinge part ZI differs from the foregoing embodiments in that it is of the straight cylindrical type, and is not provided with a spherical bearing seat for the ball portion 35 on the hinge part 28 In the present instance, a bearing member 56 is sleeved within the socket 25 and is provided with a spherically shaped recess 5'! in the underside thereof forming a seat for the upper side of the ball 35 and this bearing member is yieldab-ly urged into frictional engagement with the ball by means of a spring 58 located within the socket 25 between the upper side of the bearing member and the closed end of the socket. v

The ball 35 is held in assembled relationship within the socket by means of a fixture 59 having a two part sleeve-like portion 69 extending into the socket through the open end thereof and having a radially outwardly extending flange 6i abutting the lower annular edge of the socket. It will be noted from Figure 13 that the sleeve portion 60 of the fixture is provided with circumferentially spaced outwardly extending projections 52 adapted to engage the upper sides of correspondingly spaced shoulders 63 formed in the socket 25 adjacent the open end thereof. It will also be noted that the projections 62 are adapted to be extended axially beyond the shoulders 63 through suitable recesses 65 located between the shoulders 63, and the arrangement is such that after the projections 62 have been extended through the recesses 65 to a position above the shoulders 63, the fixture is rotated slightly to provide for engaging the projections with the shoulders. It will be understood from the above that the projections 52 are yieldably maintained into engagement with the shoulders by the spring 58. I

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 14 and 15 differs from the one previously described in that a one-piece sheet metal member 55 is substituted for the bearing member 56 and spring 58 in the modification featured in Figures 12 and 13. It will be observed from Figure 14 that the sheet metal member 66 is sleeved within the socket 25 and is provided with a plurality of spring fingers 61 having the extremities thereof engageable with the inner surface of the closed end of the socket. The spring fingers 67 are formed integral with the body portion 58 of the member 66, and this body portion is formed to provide a spherically shaped bearing surface for the ball. .The spring fingers 61 are secured under tension between the ball and closed end of the socket by means of the fixture 69 identical in construction to the fixture 59 previously described.

Thus, from the foregoing, it'will be noted that I have provided a relatively simple and inexpensive hinge construction composed of a few parts capable of being inexpensively manufactured, assembled, and installed. It will also be noted that I have provided a method'of forming a hinge composed of a relatively few, simple steps capable of being inexpensively and expediently effected. What I claim as my invention is:

1. A hinge comprising cooperating parts, each part having a socket at one end thereof, each of said sockets having one end closed, a hinge pin having one end secured inthe' socket on one of the hinge parts and abutting the closed end thereof and having a spherically shaped portion extending beyond the socket, said spherically shaped portion extending into the socket on the other hinge part and engageable with a spherically shaped seat in the latter socket, and a yieldable retainer located in the last named socket and having flexible fingers adapted to snap over the ball portion upon relative movement of the sockets toward each other.

2. A hinge having cooperating hinge parts, a socket at one end of one of the hinge parts having a spherically shaped seat portion and having an annular groove adjacent the lip thereof, a socket on the other of the hinge parts, a hinge pin having one end secured in the second socket and having a spherically shaped portion projecting beyond the latter socket, said spherically shaped portion extending into the first socket and engageable with the spherically shaped seat in said first socket, and an annular retainer located in the first socket and in. engagement with said annular groove, said retainer having spring fingers surrounding the projecting portion of the hinge pin in circumferential spaced relationship and adapted to snap into engagement with the spherical portion to yieldably urge the latter into frictional engagement with said seat.

3. A hinge of the type wherein a pair of cooperating hinge parts are adapted to be readily assembled and detached by relative movement of the hinge parts toward and away from each other respectively, comprising a socket in each of said hinge parts having one closed end and one open end with the open ends of the two sockets facing each other and with the closed ends forming internal spherical-shaped'seats, a hinge pin having a shank secured in one of said sockets with one end of said shank portion spherical-shaped and abutting the internal spherical-shaped seat in said socket, a sphericalshaped head on the opposite end of said hinge pin insertable into the open end of the other of said sockets and engageable with the sphericalshaped seat in said last mentioned socket, and a spring retainer positioned in said last mentioned socket and having one portion thereof held in a groove in said socket and another portion thereof yieldably urging the head of the hinge pin into engagement with the sphericalshaped seat in said socket.

4. A hinge having a pair of substantially identical cup-shaped hinge parts positioned with their open sides facing each other and with their closed base portions forming internal spherically shaped thrust portions,a hinge pin secured in one of said hinge parts with one end thereof engaging the internal spherically shaped thrust portion of said hinge part and having a spherically shaped portion extending beyond the hinge part, and a spring retainer located in the other hinge part and engageable with the spherically shaped portion of said hinge pin upon relative movement of the hinge parts toward each other to yieldably retain said last mentioned portion in engagement with the internal spherically shaped thrust portion of said other hinge part.

HARRY RODEMEYER. 

